Highspire woman gets probation pleading guilty to using heroin in front of her 5-year-old son

Highspire woman gets probation pleading guilty to using heroin in front of her 5-year-old son

HARRISBURG — A 26-year-old Highspire woman will be on probation for two years after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and drug paraphernalia charges Wednesday in Dauphin County Court, according to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office.

Kelly Ann Cokosky was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation around midnight on the 1800 block of Market Street on March 26, 2016, according to the Dauphin County DA. When officers approached the vehicle, they observed that Cokosky, one of four adults in the vehicle, appeared to be under the influence of heroin. She was found to be in possession of syringes, empty packets, a spoon, and water — all commonly used to inject heroin, according to the DA’s report. Cokosky’s five-year-old son was in a car seat in the back of the vehicle. Given her recent use of heroin, possession of paraphernalia and the time of night, the DA says, she was charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Cokosky was also sentenced to three years of probation for an unrelated incident that occurred in March, the DA said. She was charged with forgery and theft for stealing a person’s checks, signing his name and cashing approximately $6,000 worth of checks over a span of 25 days. At the time of sentencing, the DA said, Cokosky’s criminal history was very limited.

“Heroin addiction not only affects the user — it affects the user’s children and entire family as well,” said Dauphin County Senior Deputy District Attorney Stephen R. Zawisky. “Despite the obvious dangerous risks involved with purchasing and using heroin, the defendant took her five-year-old son with her to purchase drugs late at night. A child shouldn’t have to endure that experience.”